I had this exact same need... I watched techbargains and a few other sites, and here's what I got (last August):
Dell Inspiron B130 with: 1GB RAM 1.8MHz Pentium M i915 shared mem gfx chip 40GB HD DVD/CDRW 14.1" wide-format 1280x800 display. built in ethernet, wifi, modem, etc. better than 2 hours battery life with default battery, "beefed up" battery provides about 4 hours.
Here's the hitches:
Wireless works out of the box *after* you install the firmware for the ipw2200 card. This involves either getting the package (which most distros have and some install by default) or getting it from http://ipw2200.sf.net/ and unpacking it to/lib/firmware.
Need to run 915resolution for most distros (only exception so far: openSUSE) to get 1280x800 instead of 1024x768. This is Intel's fault, 1280x800 isn't listed as a valid mode in the video BIOS.
The price: $450 shipped.
So, a nice laptop, with two hitches that are certainly show-stoppers for some people. BUT, in a few months you should be able to get a similar laptop (or better) for a similar price, with Ubuntu, working out of the box. That's just cool.
Side note: ipw2200 firmware is redistributable in unmodified form, and is now in Fedora extras, so its gaining acceptance by major players. Dunno if Ubuntu installs it by default.
Side note 2: here's hoping that Dell pressures Intel into helping/fixing the default X.org driver for the i915 and similar cards to negate the need for 855resolution or 915resolution. The "intel" X.org driver that comes with Fedora already negates this need, but not all distros ship this driver for some reason.
In the U.S. you have a government that has suspended habeas corpus, lied to the public for the purpose of invading a peaceful nation that had no ability to do you any harm, and continues to spend your children and grandchildren into poverty.
Why don't you care?
Because McDonalds is open. Seriously, somewhere along the line we actually became that (a)pathetic. Voter turnout is low because we're sick of choosing between a Giant Douche and a Turd Sandwich.
With only 196MB RAM you'd likely be much better served by something like ArchLinux, Zenwalk, or another more lightweight distribution. Hell, even plain Debian has less cruft than Ubuntu. There may be a little more setup involved, but even Xubuntu is a bit of a stretch for 196MB. I've been an ArchLinux as well as Zenwalk user, and they both have very helpful communities, although much smaller than Ubuntu's. There's also LinuxQuestions.org.
Disclaimer: I don't see a point in Ubuntu. OpenSUSE does what (K)Ubuntu does better with better hardware support. Always has. Publicity != Quality. I'm glad Ubuntu is bringing GNU/Linux to the masses, but there have always been easy to use distros such as OpenSUSE, Ark, etc.
Maybe I'm just sick of hearing about what brand of tissue Mark S. uses to wipe his ass or what shade of brown the next Ubuntu wallpaper will be... Correlation? Perhaps.
It has to be that the OS X desktop/app toolkit and widgets really are THAT much more refined/polished/whatever than other OSes. Perhaps...
I don't want to come off as an Apple fanboy... Treading on thin ice...
running non-native apps on OS X really brings to light just how much more elegant and modern OS X is compared to others. I don't know why Windows or Linux can't seem to get anywhere near the elegance and polish that Apple seems to be solely able to. ...and drowning.
While the CS department at our University is largely RedHat, a large number of incoming undergrads have never used a GNU/Linux system and a large number of outgoing graduates have avoided the systems at all costs. You'd be surprised how many of them "code" in KWrite or nano because they are similar to Notepad. Seriously.
Show them multiple buffers, split window configurations, or even more than one window open at a time and their eyes glaze over and you can almost hear the gears grinding to a halt as you realize their brain went out to lunch as soon as you didn't say "First you click Start...".
I see and hear about a lot of people who now use RHEL after using CentOS as a "trying it out" step. I do linux desktop systems support for a Division 1 university, which means I basically keep the linux labs and CS staff happy by keeping the software they use to learn and teach available at whatever specific version they want. It also means that I prepare the lab machine images for over 100 systems.
I'm currently in the process of building the new RHEL5-based lab image, and many of our servers have already migrated from RHEL4 to RHEL5. Its a very nice system, it just "feels" more polished than RHEL4.
Also, we're putting compiz+KDE on the lab image. It wasn't my decision, it came from higher up. It has always been KDE, but obviously compiz is a new requirement. The general reasoning as I understand it is that the new lab machines have plenty of extra processing power, and we'll get a few "ooooh aaaah" type reactions from the new CS undergrads who have never used or seen a gnu/linux desktop before. On the plus side on my lab dev machine where I've been building the image for the past few weeks compiz hasn't so much as flickered. Its amazingly stable, and in the fairly large room where I do most my work I occasionally catch the Windows support guys peeking over my shoulder:)
So where does this put CentOS? On my desktop machine. I can't afford a RHEL license, and I don't need the support (I'm capable and my hardware is pretty basic). I have a few friends and family that occasionally use my desktop machine, so it needs to be multimedia friendly and casual computer user friendly. Both the Gnome and KDE desktop environments accomplish this and accomplish it well. I also don't want to have to constantly administer the box. I just want it to work all the time and every time. So long term support, a magnificently stable platform, prompt security updates, and a generally hassle-free user experience means I won't need to install another OS on my desktop for, oh, about seven years:).
I'm downloading CentOS 5 now, and post-install I expect to be making a donation to the project in hopes that they'll keep up the good work for years to come.
I have a friend who was involved in a car accident about a year ago and is now quadriplegic. He has a sort of tube that runs into some kind of voice software to talk. He can talk without it, but the system makes it a lot less straining on his diminished strength. It is very similar if not the same thing as the device Stephen Hawking uses.
Just recently the clinic he lives at upgraded his Win2k system to Vista for reasons I haven't attempted to comprehend. Not only did the voice software not work, none of the hardware peripheral stuff was detected properly either. While this may be resolved in time, I wouldn't expect it to be resolved by the end of the year since he said when he contacted the company they only support their products when they are running on Windows 2000.
Some specialized software like the type you and I mentioned is painstakingly developed with for a certain OS and hardware to guarantee functionality, and why they develop for an OS that is provided by a company that has a track record of breaking API between (and sometimes within the lifecycle of) releases is beyond me.
That's wonderful, really. I'm happy for you. But the rest of who don't run Gentoo don't have to worry about how quickly things compile, we worry about how quickly we can get things done. In my case, I am only limited by bandwidth. The rare occasion that I do compile/package something it is usually trivial enough that I couldn't care less about what MAKEOPTS, CFLAGS, or USE flags I'm using.
On a relevant vein, I'd like to be able to upgrade my hardware with a single "master chip" purchase that integrates a CPU and GPU upgrade. Next step is motherboards that are just ethernet, sound, and slots designed to be controlled by said "master chip".
Given that Dell now ship machines with a variety of Linux distros preinstalled (http://www.dell.com/linux) I don't think installation from scratch is a major factor in ease of use anymore Wrong.
Installation from scratch is a BIG issue. At least Dell may have the advantage of shipping an "image" that isn't actually an installer. But you know damn well that when things don't work like a person expect, if that person is a long time Windows user, they WILL reinstall.
It doesn't matter what you or I know about installations or administrating a GNU/Linux system in this respect. If someone who hasn't tried linux is on the fence and decides to go for it because Dell is shipping it now, they WILL reinstall the entire OS when something goes wrong. Its the Windows credo damnit!
I've played quite a bit of EVE in 0.0 space, even been in some pretty decent battles. Admittedly, I haven't played since they implemented stations and such. When I played we all hung out at gates to defend space since there wasn't much else to do besides shoot rats and mine.
I can't dispute the popularity of the Sims or Second Life, but I'm really not a big fan of the "sandbox" style of play. I would much rather have an engaging storyline and objectives, both short and long term as far as the shelf-life of the game is concerned.
I've played A Tale in the Desert and its a decent game. No combat, and arguably a bit of a sandbox-style game. You can basically do whatever you want within the limits of the game, but there are objectives and goals as well. The most rewarding aspect is working with fellow players in a guild to advance in the game. In the end, though, I don't feel the game offers anything beyond a little enjoyment. It isn't engaging enough for me to justify paying the subscription price.
I've also played quite a bit of EVE Online. Now there's a bit of a storyline to EVE, but the general goal of playing as far as I can tell is either to get really rich, really powerful, or both. As you progress in skills and equipment there can be some great fun fighting battles with your teammates to protect territory you have claimed as your own. But in the end for me it suffers the same fate as ATITD, it doesn't offer anything beyond a little enjoyment. It isn't engaging enough for me to justify paying the subscription price.
What I'd like to see rather than "sandbox" style games where you can be anything you want to be are games where what players do have a direct impact on the game world. Picture, if you will, a game that actually evolves beyond adding features. I'm not much of a visionary, but I'll try to put this forward to illustrate what I'm trying to explain:
Think of a real-time Risk-type game with at least a few thousand players. Your alliance manages to take over a territory after a long enduring battle against the territory's previous rule. Anyone "living" (not everyone needs to be involved militarily) now falls under your jurisdiction and is subject to laws your alliance has explicitly written. However in a seperate area of your empire there are players who prefer a different form of government than yours. They manage to stage an uprising while your alliance has neglected to keep military presence in that area...
Now that's a game I would play, something where what I and what others around me do actually affect the game world in a significant way. Imagine a WWII style game where if your armies run around gold-mining instead of fighting towards a common goal the Third Reich actually does take over Europe and now you're behind the eight ball. Imagine in that game a real chain of command based on a democratic system where those at the top actually lay out strategies and plans for invasion, defense, disruption of enemy supply lines, etc. Imagine your enemy suddenly doesn't get that shipment of ammunition before you stage an offensive. Imagine being that enemy and suddenly being up shit creek and trying to scramble reinforcements. Imagine decision makers having to decide which engagement is more valuable and which victory can be sacrificed.
Many of the labs around my university's campus use Mac machines, but they're greatly outnumbered by cheap Dell and Gateway systems. Most of the Mac systems are older eMacs. I often see the PCs sitting there with a piece of paper taped to the screen with something along the lines of "Sorry, this computer is down for maintenance". I have yet to see that on a Mac system. When I asked why there are fewer Mac systems on campus I was told it is cheaper to replace the PCs when the upgrade cycle rolls around. I have no problem believing that, but I'm willing to bet that nobody is keeping track of downtime and man hours required to keep the PCs operational between upgrade cycles when they calculate the cost of their Mac vs their PC systems.
Personally, I'm a linux user across all my systems. I'm fully aware that most of my friends and family are not prepared to be running linux or *BSD as their main OS, but I did manage to convert one of my longtime Windows-using cousins to a MacBook. He's never been happier. Strangely neither he nor I have managed to convince anyone else in our circles to switch from Windows/PC. Hell, I can't even convince some people to try OpenOffice.org before they go drop a couple c-notes on the latest Microsoft Office.
Maybe I'm a crummy salesman, or perhaps my message would be taken with more interest if I had a black turtleneck and white earbuds. Either way I wish people would stop calling me because their crummy greeting card creation program quit printing a certain color, or their crummy spyware software won't remove a certain portion of spyware.
I have a fastmail.fm account, I'm a "Full" member, so I pay a subscription (every three years iirc).
GMail's spam filtering doesn't compare to FastMail's at the "Full" level, I can't comment on the free account level. I very very rarely have a false-positive with FastMail's spam filtering, and it very rarely misses spam. At my service level you can define your own rulesets as well if that's your thing. Also, in my experience FastMail.fm is significantly faster than GMail, and works with more browsers. I can use links or lynx if I want to with FastMail.fm depending on my environment.
Personally I only use GMail as an account I use when I signup for things I may not use often, mailing lists for various open source projects, etc. For anything serious/important. I greatly prefer FastMail.
Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but I like defining rules and using "folders" more than GMails tagging approach. FastMail.fm also has an impeccable service record. They have a "blog" here for up-to-date goings-on, and there is http://fastmail.fm/beta/ which is what I use as it occasionally offers features that haven't gone mainstream yet.
Personally I'm content with yum and writing SlackBuilds and tracking down dependencies when necessary.
Now I don't expect everyone or anyone to feel the same way about installing software, and for some (problems aside) clicking "Next", "Next", "Next", "Finish" is just "the way" you install an application. When I get off of my cloud I'm willing to bet that 'Joe Average' would grasp the concept of installing software on a Mac more easily then learning how to use emerge, apt-get, yum, pkgtools, etc... and to the same point, adept, aptitude, synaptic, or even klik.
Once you get all your friends off of Windows, they stop calling with problems and start being enthusiastic about computers. You get movies and photos from them instead of questions about installing software.
I wish it were that easy, and the Linux fan that I am, I still recommend a Mac if the person I'm talking to isn't the type to "get into" the way their system works, isn't the type to understand why or to what end they may need madwifi or ipw 2x00 firmware (for example).
Especially, in the "I'm a PC/I'm a Mac" commercials, while obviously a bit smug they really are enjoyable, and some cases not far off the mark.
I've been a strictly linux user since about 2001... I've used OS X at my university, but don't have a lot of experience with it. My friends and family all run Windows XP on PCs of varying age and quality.
I happen to really like the "I'm a Mac" ads... Although the troubles that "PC" goes through are clearly over-the-top, and the "Mac" guy is a bit smug, they are funny if you take them lightly.
But more importantly, my (less knowledgeable in OSes and hardware) friends and family love the ads, and some have even asked me if I've used a Mac, or where they can try one. Unfortunately the nearest Mac/Apple store is about 300 miles, and the local schools/libraries/universities typically have eMac systems running a notably old version of OS X, so they really don't offer the best experience.
Personally, I'm most comfortable running an Xfce desktop on a reasonably up-to-date Linux distribution (Fedora, but I always have Slackware on a partition that I know won't fail me), but I think some of my friends and family would be much better suited by a Mac than their current systems based on what they do with their computers.
It makes me cringe when my folks call and ask what to do about some POS software that AdAware and Norton won't remove, if I think they should buy more memory and what kind, and/or why their greeting-card making software suddenly stopped working even after they've uninstall/reinstalled it. Often I don't know (haven't had much experience with Windows in the past five years) and wish they were using a less problematic OS.
I have several rifles that fire bullets that travel faster than the speed of sound. They don't make a sonic boom. They make a hell of a racket from the shell firing, but it isn't a sonic boom. Basically unless you're firing or moving something significantly large (a jet), there isn't going to be an audible sonic boom.
Actually, as a college student, I think it would be pretty handy to have one of these myself... Assuming whatever they use as a power source isn't noisy, how cool would it be to be able to take notes in class all day long (I can type faster than I can write) without having to monitor your battery, carry multiple notebooks, etc etc? I'm also a bit older than your average college student, I have a house, yard, garage 45 miles from the university that I drive each direction every day. I can't just "run back to the dorm" to type up a paper.
Perhaps not as a main system, but something I can throw in my backpack that is rugged, cheap, purposeful, wifi connectivity, unlimited runtime.... I could use that. Granted I can carry the AC adapter around for the laptop I have now, but that severly limits where and when I can use it before my battery runs out.
I'm really starting to wonder that by the time Longhorn is released, will anyone really care? The hardcore will have read enough articles to make their eyes bleed. The linux folk will continue life as usual. Some of the better features have already been stripped. Microsoft says 2006, but I don't trust MS to keep a launch on schedule for two more years.
Slashdot Mirror
I had this exact same need... I watched techbargains and a few other sites, and here's what I got (last August):
/lib/firmware.
Dell Inspiron B130 with:
1GB RAM
1.8MHz Pentium M
i915 shared mem gfx chip
40GB HD
DVD/CDRW
14.1" wide-format 1280x800 display.
built in ethernet, wifi, modem, etc.
better than 2 hours battery life with default battery, "beefed up" battery provides about 4 hours.
Here's the hitches:
Wireless works out of the box *after* you install the firmware for the ipw2200 card. This involves either getting the package (which most distros have and some install by default) or getting it from http://ipw2200.sf.net/ and unpacking it to
Need to run 915resolution for most distros (only exception so far: openSUSE) to get 1280x800 instead of 1024x768. This is Intel's fault, 1280x800 isn't listed as a valid mode in the video BIOS.
The price: $450 shipped.
So, a nice laptop, with two hitches that are certainly show-stoppers for some people. BUT, in a few months you should be able to get a similar laptop (or better) for a similar price, with Ubuntu, working out of the box. That's just cool.
Side note: ipw2200 firmware is redistributable in unmodified form, and is now in Fedora extras, so its gaining acceptance by major players. Dunno if Ubuntu installs it by default.
Side note 2: here's hoping that Dell pressures Intel into helping/fixing the default X.org driver for the i915 and similar cards to negate the need for 855resolution or 915resolution. The "intel" X.org driver that comes with Fedora already negates this need, but not all distros ship this driver for some reason.
Because McDonalds is open. Seriously, somewhere along the line we actually became that (a)pathetic. Voter turnout is low because we're sick of choosing between a Giant Douche and a Turd Sandwich.
With only 196MB RAM you'd likely be much better served by something like ArchLinux, Zenwalk, or another more lightweight distribution. Hell, even plain Debian has less cruft than Ubuntu. There may be a little more setup involved, but even Xubuntu is a bit of a stretch for 196MB. I've been an ArchLinux as well as Zenwalk user, and they both have very helpful communities, although much smaller than Ubuntu's. There's also LinuxQuestions.org.
Disclaimer: I don't see a point in Ubuntu. OpenSUSE does what (K)Ubuntu does better with better hardware support. Always has. Publicity != Quality. I'm glad Ubuntu is bringing GNU/Linux to the masses, but there have always been easy to use distros such as OpenSUSE, Ark, etc.
Maybe I'm just sick of hearing about what brand of tissue Mark S. uses to wipe his ass or what shade of brown the next Ubuntu wallpaper will be... Correlation? Perhaps.
Exactly.
While the CS department at our University is largely RedHat, a large number of incoming undergrads have never used a GNU/Linux system and a large number of outgoing graduates have avoided the systems at all costs. You'd be surprised how many of them "code" in KWrite or nano because they are similar to Notepad. Seriously.
Show them multiple buffers, split window configurations, or even more than one window open at a time and their eyes glaze over and you can almost hear the gears grinding to a halt as you realize their brain went out to lunch as soon as you didn't say "First you click Start...".
I see and hear about a lot of people who now use RHEL after using CentOS as a "trying it out" step. I do linux desktop systems support for a Division 1 university, which means I basically keep the linux labs and CS staff happy by keeping the software they use to learn and teach available at whatever specific version they want. It also means that I prepare the lab machine images for over 100 systems.
:)
:).
I'm currently in the process of building the new RHEL5-based lab image, and many of our servers have already migrated from RHEL4 to RHEL5. Its a very nice system, it just "feels" more polished than RHEL4.
Also, we're putting compiz+KDE on the lab image. It wasn't my decision, it came from higher up. It has always been KDE, but obviously compiz is a new requirement. The general reasoning as I understand it is that the new lab machines have plenty of extra processing power, and we'll get a few "ooooh aaaah" type reactions from the new CS undergrads who have never used or seen a gnu/linux desktop before. On the plus side on my lab dev machine where I've been building the image for the past few weeks compiz hasn't so much as flickered. Its amazingly stable, and in the fairly large room where I do most my work I occasionally catch the Windows support guys peeking over my shoulder
So where does this put CentOS? On my desktop machine. I can't afford a RHEL license, and I don't need the support (I'm capable and my hardware is pretty basic). I have a few friends and family that occasionally use my desktop machine, so it needs to be multimedia friendly and casual computer user friendly. Both the Gnome and KDE desktop environments accomplish this and accomplish it well. I also don't want to have to constantly administer the box. I just want it to work all the time and every time. So long term support, a magnificently stable platform, prompt security updates, and a generally hassle-free user experience means I won't need to install another OS on my desktop for, oh, about seven years
I'm downloading CentOS 5 now, and post-install I expect to be making a donation to the project in hopes that they'll keep up the good work for years to come.
I have a friend who was involved in a car accident about a year ago and is now quadriplegic. He has a sort of tube that runs into some kind of voice software to talk. He can talk without it, but the system makes it a lot less straining on his diminished strength. It is very similar if not the same thing as the device Stephen Hawking uses.
Just recently the clinic he lives at upgraded his Win2k system to Vista for reasons I haven't attempted to comprehend. Not only did the voice software not work, none of the hardware peripheral stuff was detected properly either. While this may be resolved in time, I wouldn't expect it to be resolved by the end of the year since he said when he contacted the company they only support their products when they are running on Windows 2000.
Some specialized software like the type you and I mentioned is painstakingly developed with for a certain OS and hardware to guarantee functionality, and why they develop for an OS that is provided by a company that has a track record of breaking API between (and sometimes within the lifecycle of) releases is beyond me.
That's wonderful, really. I'm happy for you. But the rest of who don't run Gentoo don't have to worry about how quickly things compile, we worry about how quickly we can get things done. In my case, I am only limited by bandwidth. The rare occasion that I do compile/package something it is usually trivial enough that I couldn't care less about what MAKEOPTS, CFLAGS, or USE flags I'm using.
On a relevant vein, I'd like to be able to upgrade my hardware with a single "master chip" purchase that integrates a CPU and GPU upgrade. Next step is motherboards that are just ethernet, sound, and slots designed to be controlled by said "master chip".
Installation from scratch is a BIG issue. At least Dell may have the advantage of shipping an "image" that isn't actually an installer. But you know damn well that when things don't work like a person expect, if that person is a long time Windows user, they WILL reinstall.
It doesn't matter what you or I know about installations or administrating a GNU/Linux system in this respect. If someone who hasn't tried linux is on the fence and decides to go for it because Dell is shipping it now, they WILL reinstall the entire OS when something goes wrong. Its the Windows credo damnit!
I've played quite a bit of EVE in 0.0 space, even been in some pretty decent battles. Admittedly, I haven't played since they implemented stations and such. When I played we all hung out at gates to defend space since there wasn't much else to do besides shoot rats and mine.
I've played A Tale in the Desert and its a decent game. No combat, and arguably a bit of a sandbox-style game. You can basically do whatever you want within the limits of the game, but there are objectives and goals as well. The most rewarding aspect is working with fellow players in a guild to advance in the game. In the end, though, I don't feel the game offers anything beyond a little enjoyment. It isn't engaging enough for me to justify paying the subscription price.
I've also played quite a bit of EVE Online. Now there's a bit of a storyline to EVE, but the general goal of playing as far as I can tell is either to get really rich, really powerful, or both. As you progress in skills and equipment there can be some great fun fighting battles with your teammates to protect territory you have claimed as your own. But in the end for me it suffers the same fate as ATITD, it doesn't offer anything beyond a little enjoyment. It isn't engaging enough for me to justify paying the subscription price.
What I'd like to see rather than "sandbox" style games where you can be anything you want to be are games where what players do have a direct impact on the game world. Picture, if you will, a game that actually evolves beyond adding features. I'm not much of a visionary, but I'll try to put this forward to illustrate what I'm trying to explain: Now that's a game I would play, something where what I and what others around me do actually affect the game world in a significant way. Imagine a WWII style game where if your armies run around gold-mining instead of fighting towards a common goal the Third Reich actually does take over Europe and now you're behind the eight ball. Imagine in that game a real chain of command based on a democratic system where those at the top actually lay out strategies and plans for invasion, defense, disruption of enemy supply lines, etc. Imagine your enemy suddenly doesn't get that shipment of ammunition before you stage an offensive. Imagine being that enemy and suddenly being up shit creek and trying to scramble reinforcements. Imagine decision makers having to decide which engagement is more valuable and which victory can be sacrificed.
Many of the labs around my university's campus use Mac machines, but they're greatly outnumbered by cheap Dell and Gateway systems. Most of the Mac systems are older eMacs. I often see the PCs sitting there with a piece of paper taped to the screen with something along the lines of "Sorry, this computer is down for maintenance". I have yet to see that on a Mac system. When I asked why there are fewer Mac systems on campus I was told it is cheaper to replace the PCs when the upgrade cycle rolls around. I have no problem believing that, but I'm willing to bet that nobody is keeping track of downtime and man hours required to keep the PCs operational between upgrade cycles when they calculate the cost of their Mac vs their PC systems.
Personally, I'm a linux user across all my systems. I'm fully aware that most of my friends and family are not prepared to be running linux or *BSD as their main OS, but I did manage to convert one of my longtime Windows-using cousins to a MacBook. He's never been happier. Strangely neither he nor I have managed to convince anyone else in our circles to switch from Windows/PC. Hell, I can't even convince some people to try OpenOffice.org before they go drop a couple c-notes on the latest Microsoft Office.
Maybe I'm a crummy salesman, or perhaps my message would be taken with more interest if I had a black turtleneck and white earbuds. Either way I wish people would stop calling me because their crummy greeting card creation program quit printing a certain color, or their crummy spyware software won't remove a certain portion of spyware.
I have a fastmail.fm account, I'm a "Full" member, so I pay a subscription (every three years iirc).
GMail's spam filtering doesn't compare to FastMail's at the "Full" level, I can't comment on the free account level. I very very rarely have a false-positive with FastMail's spam filtering, and it very rarely misses spam. At my service level you can define your own rulesets as well if that's your thing. Also, in my experience FastMail.fm is significantly faster than GMail, and works with more browsers. I can use links or lynx if I want to with FastMail.fm depending on my environment.
Personally I only use GMail as an account I use when I signup for things I may not use often, mailing lists for various open source projects, etc. For anything serious/important. I greatly prefer FastMail.
Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but I like defining rules and using "folders" more than GMails tagging approach. FastMail.fm also has an impeccable service record. They have a "blog" here for up-to-date goings-on, and there is http://fastmail.fm/beta/ which is what I use as it occasionally offers features that haven't gone mainstream yet.
Personally I'm content with yum and writing SlackBuilds and tracking down dependencies when necessary.
Now I don't expect everyone or anyone to feel the same way about installing software, and for some (problems aside) clicking "Next", "Next", "Next", "Finish" is just "the way" you install an application. When I get off of my cloud I'm willing to bet that 'Joe Average' would grasp the concept of installing software on a Mac more easily then learning how to use emerge, apt-get, yum, pkgtools, etc... and to the same point, adept, aptitude, synaptic, or even klik.
Once you get all your friends off of Windows, they stop calling with problems and start being enthusiastic about computers. You get movies and photos from them instead of questions about installing software.
I wish it were that easy, and the Linux fan that I am, I still recommend a Mac if the person I'm talking to isn't the type to "get into" the way their system works, isn't the type to understand why or to what end they may need madwifi or ipw 2x00 firmware (for example).
Especially, in the "I'm a PC/I'm a Mac" commercials, while obviously a bit smug they really are enjoyable, and some cases not far off the mark.
I've been a strictly linux user since about 2001... I've used OS X at my university, but don't have a lot of experience with it. My friends and family all run Windows XP on PCs of varying age and quality. I happen to really like the "I'm a Mac" ads... Although the troubles that "PC" goes through are clearly over-the-top, and the "Mac" guy is a bit smug, they are funny if you take them lightly. But more importantly, my (less knowledgeable in OSes and hardware) friends and family love the ads, and some have even asked me if I've used a Mac, or where they can try one. Unfortunately the nearest Mac/Apple store is about 300 miles, and the local schools/libraries/universities typically have eMac systems running a notably old version of OS X, so they really don't offer the best experience. Personally, I'm most comfortable running an Xfce desktop on a reasonably up-to-date Linux distribution (Fedora, but I always have Slackware on a partition that I know won't fail me), but I think some of my friends and family would be much better suited by a Mac than their current systems based on what they do with their computers. It makes me cringe when my folks call and ask what to do about some POS software that AdAware and Norton won't remove, if I think they should buy more memory and what kind, and/or why their greeting-card making software suddenly stopped working even after they've uninstall/reinstalled it. Often I don't know (haven't had much experience with Windows in the past five years) and wish they were using a less problematic OS.
As far as a sonic boom goes:
I have several rifles that fire bullets that travel faster than the speed of sound. They don't make a sonic boom. They make a hell of a racket from the shell firing, but it isn't a sonic boom. Basically unless you're firing or moving something significantly large (a jet), there isn't going to be an audible sonic boom.
puzzle game ... closed, hidden, and exciting to findIsn't that the credo of Windows users?
"6 months running, don't know what the hell is happening, time for (another) reinstall!"
Actually, as a college student, I think it would be pretty handy to have one of these myself... Assuming whatever they use as a power source isn't noisy, how cool would it be to be able to take notes in class all day long (I can type faster than I can write) without having to monitor your battery, carry multiple notebooks, etc etc? I'm also a bit older than your average college student, I have a house, yard, garage 45 miles from the university that I drive each direction every day. I can't just "run back to the dorm" to type up a paper. Perhaps not as a main system, but something I can throw in my backpack that is rugged, cheap, purposeful, wifi connectivity, unlimited runtime.... I could use that. Granted I can carry the AC adapter around for the laptop I have now, but that severly limits where and when I can use it before my battery runs out.
I'm really starting to wonder that by the time Longhorn is released, will anyone really care? The hardcore will have read enough articles to make their eyes bleed. The linux folk will continue life as usual. Some of the better features have already been stripped. Microsoft says 2006, but I don't trust MS to keep a launch on schedule for two more years.